OU UG English Sem 2 notes New Syllabus 2025-26
OU UG English Sem 2 notes New Syllabus 2025-26
Unit 6 - Poetry
The Highwayman Poet: Alfred Noyes
About the Poet
Alfred Noyes (1880–1958) was an English poet famous for his ballads and narrative poems. The Highwayman is his most popular poem. It combines romance, tragedy, adventure, and sacrifice.
Summary of the Poem
The Highwayman is a tragic love story set in old England. It tells the tale of a brave highway robber and his deep love for Bess, the landlord’s daughter.
The highwayman rides through the dark night to meet Bess at an old inn. He is a daring outlaw who steals from the rich. He promises Bess that he will return to her even if danger comes. However, Tim, the jealous ostler (stable boy), overhears their conversation and betrays them to the red-coats (British soldiers).
The soldiers capture Bess and tie her in her room, using her as bait to trap the highwayman. They tie a musket to her chest and force her to wait. When she hears the highwayman approaching, she bravely pulls the trigger, killing herself to warn him. The sound of the gun alerts him, and he escapes.
Later, the highwayman learns that Bess has died. Filled with grief and anger, he rides to the inn to take revenge. The red-coats shoot him dead. The poem ends with the spirits of the highwayman and Bess meeting again in the dark, showing their love is eternal.
Analysis
The poem is a narrative ballad, telling a dramatic story in verse. The main themes are love, sacrifice, betrayal, and loyalty. Bess is the true hero of the poem because she sacrifices her life to save the man she loves. Tim represents jealousy and betrayal, while the red-coats stand for cruel authority.
The poet uses powerful imagery, especially of the moon, wind, and night, to create a mysterious and romantic atmosphere. The tragic ending makes the poem emotional and unforgettable. Even though the lovers die, their love continues beyond death, giving the poem a haunting beauty.
Comprehension
A. Answer the following in one or two lines
1. Where was the highwayman going?
He was going to meet Bess at the old inn.
2. What time period do you think the poem is set in?
It is set in the old 18th-century England.
3. What kind of poem is 'The Highwayman'?
It is a narrative ballad.
4. Where does Bess wait for the highwayman in Part One of the poem?
She waits in her room at the old inn.
5. Who was listening in when Bess and the highwayman were talking?
Tim the ostler was listening.
6. Why does Bess kill herself?
She kills herself to warn the highwayman and save him from the soldiers.
7. What does the highwayman do after finding out that Bess had passed away?
He rides back to the inn to take revenge and is killed.
8. What does the poet describe the moon?
The moon is described as a ghostly galleon sailing through clouds.
9. Describe the highwayman's final moments.
He rides bravely to the inn, knowing he will die, and is shot by the soldiers.
10. Who is Tim?
Tim is the jealous ostler who betrays the lovers.I
f you want, Rajesh, I can also provide PPT slides or stanza-wise explanation for your students.
Unit 8 - Poetry
Praise song for motherGrace Nichols
You were
water to me
deep and bold and fathoming
You were
moon's eye to me
pull and grained and mantling
You were
sunrise to me rise and warm and streaming
You were
the fish's red gill to me
the flame tree's spread to me
the crab's leg/the fried plantain smell replenishing replenishing
Go to your wide futures, you said
A. Comprehension
1. Who is the speaker addressing in the poem?
The speaker is addressing her mother.
2. What natural elements are used to describe the mother?
The mother is compared to water, moon, sunrise, fish, flame tree, crab, and plantain.
3. Why does the speaker say her mother was ‘the flame tree’s spread to me’?
The flame tree spreads wide and gives shade. This suggests that the mother gave protection, comfort, and support.
4. What is a ‘praise song’? What purpose does it serve here?
A praise song is a poem that celebrates and honours someone. In this poem, it is used to express love, respect, and gratitude to the mother.
5. What traditions or form of poetry does the title refer to?
It refers to African and Caribbean oral traditions, where people sing or recite poems to praise loved ones.
6. How does the repetition of “You were…” affect the poem?
The repetition gives the poem a musical rhythm and shows how important the mother was in every part of the speaker’s life.
7. How does the structure reflect the emotional tone?
The short lines and free verse show deep feelings. The lowercase letters make the poem feel gentle and intimate.
8. What does ‘moon’s eye to me’ suggest?
It suggests that the mother was watchful, guiding, and protective, like the moon that watches over the night.
9. What does ‘the fish’s red gill’ represent?
It represents life and breath, showing that the mother was essential for the child’s survival.
10. How might the poem change if it were about a father?
It might use images of strength, guidance, or protection rather than nurturing and life-giving images..
Summary of the Poem
“Praise Song for My Mother” is a beautiful poem by Grace Nichols, a Caribbean-born poet who writes about family, womanhood, and cultural identity. In this poem, the speaker praises her mother by comparing her to many powerful and nurturing elements of nature.
The mother is described through rich epithets such as water, moon, sunrise, fish’s red gill, and flame tree. Each image shows a different role of the mother. Water represents life and depth, the moon suggests guidance and protection, sunrise stands for warmth and hope, and the fish’s red gill shows that the mother gave life and breath. The flame tree’s spread shows how she offered care and shelter.
The poem is written in free verse, with short lines and repeated phrases like “You were”, which creates a musical rhythm similar to a traditional praise song from African and Caribbean culture. This repetition also shows how deeply the speaker values her mother.
The poem ends with the mother encouraging the child to go forward into the future, showing her selfless love. Overall, the poem is a heartfelt tribute to a loving and nurturing mother.
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